Alan The 458 Win mag was only brought out to satisfy a need for a 2150 to 2200 fps .458 diameter cartridge to take the place of lack of ammo available from the old NE ammo makers. The 458 Win Mag could do it with very compacted powder loads, that gave a lot of hang fires, and squib loads, after the ammo was loaded for only a short time. The compressed powder became a solid, and did not burn properly. The mistake was not only the lack of good powders that we have today, but the case capacity, in conjunction with the old powder, and a 500 gr bullet, were all package that did work well together! Even with the existing powders they had at the time, the use of a longer case (375 H&H length) and the very nice Win mod 70 long action, and a 480 gr soft, and solid would have been a snapp to load to exactly 450NE 3 1/4" duplicate. All this with no hang fires, or squib loads, that killed the 458 Win Mag's reputation. The barrel length was not the problem, but the length of the cartridge case!

Even with today's powders, the 458 Win Mag should be loaded with a bullet no heavier than 450 grs. The case capacity is not large enough to handle 500 gr bullets effeciently, without very high pressure, and compressing the powder, which has a potential for problem. I still say, no matter how you load the 458 Win Mag, the Lott case will take care of all it's ills!

The 458 Win Mag with a 500 gr bullet, compressed powder, and a case capacity of 93.29 grs of water, compaired to the Lott's over 105 grs of water capacity, is a combination of parts that remind me of Johny Cash's song "CADILLAC, ONE PIECE AT A TIME " Goes on to say it's a 1956,57, 58, 59............. Parts simply do not go well together. The cartridge is OK, but it will never be what it was intended to be, without a lot of problems. The best use of 458 Win Mag is, to down load it with a 400/450 gr bullet with a senseable powder charge, and use it as it works best, or simply re-chamber to the 458 LOTT, and have the best of both worlds, without the problems!